November 4, 2005

Wizards Encourage Students: Read to Achieve

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Players from the Washington Wizards teamed up with deaf and hard of hearing students from Kendall Demonstration Elementary School (KDES) to score a win for reading. The Wizards visited the school as part of the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s Read to Achieve program.

KDES students gathered in the gym, where they were entertained by Wizard mascot G-Wiz. Then the players and coach Eddie Jordan joined one of seven groups of KDES students and read The Gym Day Winner or Allie’s Basketball Dream. All the children were given books signed by the players and the coach.

The students taught the players how to fingerspell their names and how to sign the team’s slogan: “One team, one goal.” To the delight of the students, the players learned quickly. At the close of the ceremonies, the players were able to sign the team slogan to the students and fingerspell their names.

Dr. I. King Jordan, president of Gallaudet University, joined the gathering and was presented with a Wizards jersey (number 6)! “You are lucky that the Washington Wizards came to help you understand how important it is to read,” he told the assembled students.

The NBA’s Read to Achieve program is a year-round campaign to help young people develop a lifelong love for reading and encourage adults to read regularly to children. Reaching an estimated 50 million children a year, Read to Achieve is the most extensive educational outreach initiative in the history of professional sports.

Copyright © 2005 Gallaudet University Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center
800 Florida Ave. NE
Washington, DC 20002
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